Global Challenges for a Sustainable Society from edX

Our society today is facing many challenges: climate change, hunger, inequality,…

Although you probably have heard about or even personally experienced many of them, the information we get about these issues is often fragmented, incomplete, biased or even completely wrong.

Our team of experts will introduce you to different global challenges we face today and how they are linked to one another. This course will give you a good basic understanding of each of the challenges, their interrelationships and where we may look for possible solutions.

On top of an update of your knowledge on these challenges, you will learn to understand the data, see the bigger picture, and formulate knowledge-based arguments.

What's inside

Learning objectives

By following this course, you will:
Know the current state of the challenges and, using this knowledge, be able to test and interpret new information that reaches you regarding these challenges.
Develop the reflex to critically approach and verify statements around the topics discussed and be able to take a position based on facts and rational considerations
Know where to find and how to interpret crucial (numerical) material on these challenges.

Become aware that the world is constantly evolving and have the reflex to update your knowledge.
Gain insight into the relationship between different issues and, when dealing with one issue understand the implications for the other challenges.
Understand why people often hold mistaken views (and which are the main ones) and know how to counter them.

By following this course, you will:
Know the current state of the challenges and, using this knowledge, be able to test and interpret new information that reaches you regarding these challenges.
Develop the reflex to critically approach and verify statements around the topics discussed and be able to take a position based on facts and rational considerations
Know where to find and how to interpret crucial (numerical) material on these challenges.
Become aware that the world is constantly evolving and have the reflex to update your knowledge.
Gain insight into the relationship between different issues and, when dealing with one issue understand the implications for the other challenges.
Understand why people often hold mistaken views (and which are the main ones) and know how to counter them.

Syllabus

Biodiversity : on what biodiversity is and its current state is, why biodiversity matters, what the main threats are and how we can prevent and reverse biodiversity loss.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores the interrelationships between global challenges, which is crucial for developing holistic and effective solutions to complex problems

Provides a foundation for understanding the complexities of sustainable development, which is beneficial for students pursuing careers in environmental policy, social justice, and international relations

Examines human behavior and global governance, which are essential for understanding the social and political dimensions of sustainability challenges

Requires learners to critically approach and verify statements, which is a valuable skill for navigating the complex and often conflicting information surrounding global challenges

Covers demography and migration, which are often overlooked but critical aspects of understanding global sustainability challenges and their potential solutions

Includes economics of sustainable development, which is a field that continues to evolve and may require learners to update their knowledge frequently

Reviews summary

Broad overview of global sustainability challenges

According to learners, this course offers a largely positive exploration of a wide range of global challenges facing society today. Students particularly praise its ability to highlight the interconnectedness of issues like climate change, inequality, and biodiversity loss. Many feel it effectively builds critical thinking skills, enabling them to better evaluate information and take a position based on facts. While reviewers agree it serves as a good introduction for those new to the topics, some note that due to the complex subject matter and vast scope, it inevitably lacks depth in certain areas, suggesting it's an excellent starting point but may require further specialized study.

Topics are inherently complex.

"Be prepared for a lot of complex information across many different domains."

"Some modules required significant effort to fully grasp the details."

"The difficulty comes from the nature of the topics themselves, not necessarily poor teaching."

Covers many global challenges.

"The course covers an incredible number of urgent topics..."

"A comprehensive overview of global challenges facing society."

"Learned about biodiversity, climate, economy, and more, all in one place."

Suitable for general audience.

"Perfect starting point for anyone new to sustainability challenges or policy."

"Great for a non-expert wanting to understand the basics across different areas."

"Doesn't require prior technical knowledge, which made it accessible."

Explores possible solutions.

"Appreciated the focus on what can be done, not just dwelling on the problems."

"The modules on circular economy and sustainable transport provided practical insights."

"It gave me hope and ideas for positive action in my own life and work."

Develops critical analysis skills.

"I feel better equipped to critically evaluate information on these topics now."

"Learned how to interpret data and find reliable sources, which is very useful."

"Excellent focus on verifying claims and understanding different perspectives."

Explains how challenges link.

"What I loved most was seeing how issues like climate and inequality are linked."

"Helped me understand the bigger picture and the complex relationships between issues."

"The interconnectedness was a key takeaway for me; it changed how I see these problems."

Covers breadth, lacks depth.

"While broad, I felt some topics were only skimmed over, leaving me wanting more detail."

"Good as an introduction, but not enough depth for specialists or those seeking expertise."

"Wish they had gone deeper into some of the scientific or economic aspects."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Global Challenges for a Sustainable Society with these activities:

Review 'Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming'

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Gain a comprehensive understanding of potential climate change solutions.

View Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever... on Amazon

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Read the introduction and overview sections.
Explore the top 20 solutions presented in the book.
Reflect on how these solutions relate to course content.

Review Basic Economic Principles

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Strengthen your understanding of economic concepts relevant to sustainable development.

Browse courses on Environmental Economics

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Review key concepts like supply and demand.
Study market failures and externalities.
Understand cost-benefit analysis principles.

Create a Presentation on a Global Challenge

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Deepen your understanding of a specific global challenge by researching and presenting on it.

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Choose a global challenge from the course syllabus.
Research the challenge using credible sources.
Develop a presentation outlining the challenge, its causes, and potential solutions.
Present your findings to peers or in a virtual setting.

Four other activities

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Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

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Gain practical insight into your personal impact on climate change.

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Use an online carbon footprint calculator.
Gather data on your consumption habits.
Analyze your results and identify areas for improvement.
Develop a plan to reduce your carbon footprint.

Review 'This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate'

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Critically analyze the systemic drivers of climate change.

View This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The... on Amazon

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Read the book's introduction and key arguments.
Consider the author's critique of capitalism.
Reflect on the implications for sustainable development.

Create a Data Visualization of Global Inequality

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Develop your data analysis and visualization skills while exploring social and economic inequality.

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Find a reliable dataset on global inequality.
Choose a visualization tool (e.g., Tableau, Python).
Create a compelling data visualization.
Write a short analysis of your findings.

Volunteer at a Local Environmental Organization

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Gain hands-on experience and contribute to environmental sustainability efforts.

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Research local environmental organizations.
Contact an organization and inquire about volunteer opportunities.
Participate in volunteer activities.
Reflect on your experience and its connection to the course.

Career center

Learners who complete Global Challenges for a Sustainable Society will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Sustainability Director

A sustainability director leads an organization's sustainability initiatives, setting goals, developing strategies, and monitoring progress toward environmental and social responsibility. To be an effective sustainability director, one must understand the interconnected global challenges. This course may be useful to those who want to understand the big picture as well as have the ability to test and interpret new information. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of its broad coverage of many topics related to sustainability.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sustainability Director

Sustainability Consultant

A sustainability consultant advises organizations on how to operate in a more environmentally responsible manner. This includes assessing their current practices and recommending strategies for reducing their environmental impact. This course helps build a foundation for understanding the interconnected global challenges that underpin sustainability, like climate change, resource depletion, and inequality. The course's emphasis on data interpretation and critical thinking helps a sustainability consultant develop well-informed solutions and effectively communicate them to clients. Someone wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of the breadth of discussion on different sustainability topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sustainability Consultant

Environmental Lawyer

An environmental lawyer specializes in laws and regulations related to environmental protection and sustainability. Environmental lawyers need knowledge of environmental issues. This course may be useful to those who want to understand the role of law and lawyers in enabling or blocking sustainability and international negotiations. Environmental lawyers will benefit from the course's emphasis on critical thinking and informed decision-making. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of the breadth of legal topics related to sustainability.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Lawyer

Environmental Policy Analyst

An environmental policy analyst researches and evaluates environmental issues to develop and recommend policies that promote sustainability and protect the environment. Environmental policy analysts benefit from this course through its comprehensive overview of global challenges and their interrelationships. The ability to critically evaluate information and formulate knowledge-based arguments, as emphasized in the course, is essential for effective policy analysis and advocacy. The course also helps one keep abreast of the evolution of the field of sustainability. This course in particular would be beneficial due to its global perspective and its coverage of issues such as climate change, energy, and biodiversity.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Policy Analyst

Food Security Specialist

A food security specialist works to ensure that people have access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food. This role often involves developing and implementing programs to improve agricultural practices, reduce food waste, and address issues related to food distribution and access. This course provides one with a strong foundation in understanding this issue. The course may assist in learning how to meet the food demands of a growing world population, with limited land available, while minimizing the environmental impact of agriculture. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of its comprehensive coverage of food security.

See salaries and explore the career path for Food Security Specialist

Corporate Social Responsibility Manager

A corporate social responsibility manager develops and implements strategies to ensure a company operates ethically and sustainably. The course provides a holistic understanding of the interconnected global challenges. This helps one understand the complex factors influencing corporate social responsibility. The course's focus on data and critical thinking provides one with the skills to assess the impact of corporate actions and develop effective strategies for improvement. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular so that they can build a strong understanding of CSR's theoretical basis as it relates to pressing global issues.

See salaries and explore the career path for Corporate Social Responsibility Manager

Circular Economy Consultant

A circular economy consultant advises organizations on how to design products and processes that minimize waste and maximize resource utilization. Circular economy consultants should understand the interrelationships among global problems. This course may be of assistance to understand where materials come from, how and with what impact they are processed and discarded, and how circular economy presents a sustainable alternative. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of its coverage of circular economy topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Circular Economy Consultant

Urban and Regional Planner

An urban and regional planner develops plans and programs for the use of land. They create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities in urban and metropolitan areas. This course may be useful to those who want to perform their duties while having knowledge of the impact of buildings, energy use, and effects of urban planning. This course helps build a foundation for understanding the data underlying regional planning. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular to understand sustainable development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Urban and Regional Planner

Migration Policy Advisor

A migration policy advisor works with government agencies or nongovernmental organizations. They address issues related to international migration, refugee resettlement, and integration. This course may be useful to those who want to understand past and present international migration flows around the globe. It may also benefit one who wants to know about the complex links between climate change and human mobility and migration. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of the breadth of migration topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Migration Policy Advisor

Environmental Educator

An environmental educator teaches individuals and communities about the environment and sustainability issues. The course helps build a foundation for understanding the interconnected global challenges. Environmental educators can use the knowledge gained to inform their teaching and engage their audience. The focus on data, critical thinking, and global perspectives is invaluable when explaining complex environmental issues to others. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of the breadth of discussion on different sustainability topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Educator

Demographer

A demographer studies human populations, including their size, structure, distribution, and how they change over time. A demographer typically requires an advanced degree such as a master's or PhD. Demographers might analyze birth, death, and migration rates to make projections about future population trends. This course may be useful to one who wants to understand how population sizes have changed over time, why this has happened, what this means for the future and how we can influence these processes. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of the breadth of demography topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Demographer

Renewable Energy Project Developer

A renewable energy project developer identifies, evaluates, and develops renewable energy projects, such as solar, wind, and hydro power. This course may be useful to those who want to understand the role of energy production on the overall sustainability of society. This further helps one who wants to minimize energy consumption. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular so that they can build a strong understanding of energy's theoretical basis as it relates to pressing global issues.

See salaries and explore the career path for Renewable Energy Project Developer

International Development Officer

An international development officer works with organizations to address poverty, inequality, and other global challenges in developing countries. This course helps build a foundation for understanding the interconnected global challenges that underpin international development. This course may be useful for understanding different global challenges and how they are linked to one another. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of the breadth of discussion on different international development topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for International Development Officer

Climate Change Analyst

A climate change analyst studies the science of climate change, assesses its impacts, and develops strategies for mitigation and adaptation. The course provides a comprehensive overview of climate change science and its consequences. This course may be useful to those who want to know how climate has changed and is changing, why this is happening, what the consequences are and what possible solutions are, both on a personal and an institutional level. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of the breadth of discussion on different climate change topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Climate Change Analyst

Conservation Scientist

A conservation scientist manages, improves, and protects natural resources. Conservation scientists might advise landowners, assess land, and work to control soil erosion, manage wildfire, and improve water resources. This course helps build a foundation for understanding global challenges. This course may be useful to those who want to know about biodiversity. Those wishing to enter this career should take this course in particular because of the breadth of discussion on different conservation topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Conservation Scientist

Global Challenges for a Sustainable Society

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Broad overview of global sustainability challenges

Activities

Career center

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